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Saturday, July 17, 2010

SUCCESS!!!!

(this is obviously not me!! But isn't she gorgeous?!)

I have run into a bump in the road in my hunt for a midwife for this pregnancy. Both of my previous midwives moved far away shortly after Riley was born. We keep in touch, but they are too far to provide pre/during/post natal care this time around. So sad! It would be incredible to enter a midwife-client relationship already established, knowing each other and trusting each other. So great. Anyways, that's not an option.

I have been so frustrated but trying to remain peaceful and open and trusting God about the fact that I am having a very difficult time finding a midwife in my area who will attend a homebirth for a VBAC. I'm a 'proven' VBAC, which means I've successfully delivered a baby vaginally since my cesarean, but most midwives in this area consider VBAC home birth not safe enough to feel comfortable attending them at home.

The BC College of Midwives states clearly that VBAC homebirth (also called HBAC in the natural childbirth community) is within the midwifery scope of practice, provided there has been only one previous cesarean, there has been 24 months between pregnancies, and the woman is a good candidate for homebirth otherwise (healthy, low risk, uncomplicated pregnancy). But can I find a midwife who will catch my baby at home? NO! So frustrating. If obstetricians refuse to provide women with services which are stated to be within their governing body's scope of practice, we natural childbirth advocates get all angry and up in arms--how can you take away womens' choices! How can you refuse to do something that women have a right to access? How can you not TRUST BIRTH?!?!

And here are midwives in my province, doing the very same thing.

I had some reluctant agreements from two practices to attend an HBAC for me. But I wasn't satisfied with reluctant agreements. I want a midwife who (a) respects and upholds my right to bodily integrity and choice in all manner of prenatal care and birth choices, and (b) is excited and 100% supportive of my choice to birth at home.

[disclaimer: if home birth seems wild and woolly to you: rest assured, I'll cover safety and reasons for making such a choice in future posts!! Right now I need to get this off my chest!]

Yesterday my mom relayed a message for me from one of my former midwives, Jeanette. She said that I should call back an HBAC friendly midwife I had already called and been turned down as a client because her practice is too full, and use Jeanette's name as a referral. A friend of mine who is a naturpathic and former midwife client of this midwife ALSO referred me at an appointment today, and I came home to a message from Cathy's office that SHE WILL TAKE ME ON AS A CLIENT!!! Hooray!!!!

Home water birth where I catch my very own baby and then crawl into my very own bed, unencumbered, undisturbed, peaceful, and surrounded by family--HERE WE COME!!!!

:DDDDD

OVERJOYED!!!!!

I have an appointment at 9 a.m. Monday morning. I'll keep you posted!!!

10 comments:

the other day, i was researching for an area midwife who does hbacs - no luck yet :(

yikes! it's true - how utterly ridiculous is it that we aren't more readily free to choose how we birth and where we birth!? tisk, tisk. it's empowering to know that we've both done vbacs - however VERY frustrating to know that every time we have babies, this battle will be looming...

Hey again!Hoping that Cathy is a good fit for you! like I mentioned in my blog comment to you, I think Grove is full now for March. (unless you aim to have your baby in February as your other post said! hahahaha!)Oh - and just to be clear, I'm not sure if you were referring to Grove as one of the "reluctant" ones for a HBAC --'cause they were more than happy to do so. :-) The truly are midwives who value and respect birth and women's bodies, and do trust the process. I can't wait to hear all the news from one of them who's been at the Birth conference the last few days! I'm sure she'll come back with loads of stuff to share. Exciting!!!And I'm super happy to follow the Mothers of Change blog ...I'm convinced we'll start to see positive changes in Canadian maternity care!